electing
Mr. Ham to the position of schoolmaster, compelled him to sign a formal
agreement, drawn up in quaint legal gibberish, in which it was specified
that 'the herein afore-mentioned Joel Ham, B.A.,' was to be limited to a
certain amount of alcoholic refreshment per diem, and McMahon, at the
Drovers' Arms, bound himself over to supply no more than the prescribed
quantity; but it was understood that this galling restriction did not
apply to Mr. Ham on Saturdays and holidays.

The noises above subsided into the usual school drone, and the boys under
the floor resumed their game. It was an extremely interesting game,
closely contested. Each player watched the other's actions with an alert
and suspicious eye, and this want of confidence led directly to the boys'
undoing; for presently Dick detected Jacker in an attempt to deceive, and
signalled 'Down!' with an emphatic gesture. 'Gerrout!' was the word
framed by the lips of the indignant Jacker. Haddon gesticulated an angry
protest, and McKnight's gestures and grimaces were intended to convey a
wish that he might be visited with unspeakable pains and penalties if he
were not an entirely virtuous and grievously misjudged small boy.

'It's a lie,' hissed Dick; 'it was down!

'You're another--it wasn't!

''Twas, I tell you!'

'Twasn't!

'Gimme my knife; I don't play with sharps an' sneaks.'

'Won't!'

Gimme it!

All caution had been forgotten by this time, voices were shrill, and eyes
spoke of battle. Dick made at Jacker with a threatening fist, and Jacker,
with an adroitness for which he was famous, met him with a clip on the
shin from a copper-toed boot. Then the lads grappled and commenced a
vigorous and enthusiastic battle in the dirt and amongst the cobweb
curtains.

In the schoolroom above Joel Ham, startled from a dreamy drowsiness,
heard with wonder fierce voices under his feet, the sounds of blows and
of bumping heads, and saw his scholars all distracted. The master divined
the truth in a very few minutes.

'Cann, Peterson, Moonlight,' he called, 'follow me.'

He selected a favourite cane from the rack, and strutted out with the
curious boys at his heels.

'Now then, Peterson,' he said, and he paused with artful preoccupation to
double his cane over and under, and critically examine the end thereof,
'you are a very observant youth, Peterson; you will tell me how those
boys got under the school.'

'Dunno,' said Peterson, assuming the expression o